The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger Read Free Book Online Page A

to work with him.” She glanced toward Casey’s assigned seat, all the way across the classroom. “She’llprobably get to see his house and bedroom and everything. Do you think she’ll say some good things about me if I ask? Maybe
     she’ll be, like, my wing girl.”
    I didn’t bother answering.
    “The reports are due in exactly one week!” Mrs. Perkins announced over the chatter. “So, please work on them this weekend.”
    The bell rang and the whole class stood up at the same time. Tiny Mrs. Perkins scurried out of the way to avoid being trampled
     by the stampede toward the door. Jessica and I joined the crowd, and Casey caught up to us just as we stepped into the hall.
    “This is bullshit,” she hissed. “An essay over nothing? I don’t want to pick a topic. That’s her freaking job! What is the
     point of this damn assignment if she can’t even give us something to write about? It’s ridiculous.”
    “But you get to work with Harrison, and—”
    “Please, Jess, don’t start with that crap.” Casey rolled her eyes. “He. Is. Gay. It isn’t gonna happen, okay?”
    “You never know! So you won’t play wing girl for me?”
    “I’ll meet you guys in the cafeteria,” I said, turning in the direction of my locker. “I need to grab a few things first.”
    “Cool.” Casey grabbed Jessica by the wrist and pulled her toward the other hallway. “We’ll meet you by the snack machines,
     ’kay, B? Come on, Jess.” And they left me alone in the packed corridor. Okay, not really
packed
. Hamilton High had only around four hundred students or something, but considering the low numbers, the hallways seemed pretty
     crowded that afternoon. Ormaybe I was just stressed out and getting claustrophobic. Anyway, my friends ran away, and I was left among the beasts.
    I pushed my way past the loud jocks and smooching couples—PDAs are so disgusting—and headed for the science hallway. It took
     only a few minutes to get to my locker, which, like the rest of the fugly school, was painted orange and blue. I spun my combination
     and yanked open the door. Behind me, a group of cheerleaders ran through shouting, “Go Panthers! Panthers! Panthers!”
    I’d just grabbed my coat and backpack and was about to close the door when
he
showed up. Honestly, I’d expected him sooner.
    “Looks like we’re partners, Duffy.”
    I kicked the locker shut with a little too much force. “Unfortunately, yes.”
    Wesley grinned, running his fingers through his dark curls as he leaned against the locker next to mine. “So, your place or
     mine?”
    “What?”
    “To do the assignment this weekend,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Don’t be getting any ideas, Duffy. I’m not chasing you.
     I’m just being a good student. Wesley Rush doesn’t chase girls. They—”
    “Chase you. Yeah, I know.” I pulled my coat on over my T-shirt. “If we have to do this, I was thinking we’d—”
    “Wesley!” A skinny brunette that I didn’t recognize (she looked like a freshman) threw herself at him right in front of me.
     She stared up at Wesley with big sappy eyes. “Will you dance with me at Homecoming tonight?”
    “Of course, Meghan,” he said, running his hand down her back. He was tall enough to look down her shirt without any problem.
     Perverted bastard. “I’ll save a dance just for you, okay?”
    “Really?”
    “Would I lie?”
    “Oh, thanks, Wesley!” He bent down, and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before scampering off, not looking at me once.
    Wesley turned his attention back to me. “You were saying?”
    Through gritted teeth, I growled, “
I was thinking that we’d meet at my place
.”
    “What’s wrong with my house?” he asked. “Are you afraid it’s haunted, Duffy?”
    “Of course not. I’d just prefer to work at my house. God knows what kind of diseases I could get just by stepping foot in
     your bedroom.” I shook my head. “So, my house, okay? Tomorrow afternoon at, like,